Unitary polishers and polish receptacles



June 8, 1965 B. s. DAKE, JR., ETAL l 3,187,364

UNITARY POLISHERS AND POLISH RECEPTACLES Filed April 1, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 8, 1965 B. s. DAKE, JR.. ETAL 3,187,364

UNITARY POLISHERS AND POLISH RECEPTACLES Filed April l. 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 in the handle and opens to the recess base surface.

United States Patent O 3,187,364 UNITARY POLISHERS AND PLISH RECEPTACLES Burton S. Dake, Jr., Altadena, and Paul S. Weersing, Glendale, Calif., assignors to Plastics, Inc., Pasadena, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Apr. 1, 1963, Ser. No. 269,655 2 Claims. (Cl. 15-534) This invention relates to unitary polishers and polish receptacles. More particularly, it relates to unitary shoe polishers and polish receptacles having a polish applicator as a part of the unitary combination. The present invention also relates to improved means for securing a polyurethane foam buffer element to a plastic handle of the polisher.

Articles providing a combination of a polish receptacle and a polisher or buffer have been known prior to the creation of the present invention. Such previously known articles, however, consisted generally in the mounting of a commercially procured polish container to the back of a commercially available brush Y or buffer. Such devices did not usually include polish applicators as a part thereof. The combined polish container and brush had an irregular shape which meant that the article could be conveniently grasped in only one manner, particularly by a person having small hands. An example of such prior art devices is a brush with a jar or can of polish mounted to one end of the back of the brush.

The present invention has utility in instances in which a hand-held polisher or buifer is useful to buf polish applied manuallyover a relatively small area, as for example in automobile polishers, shoe polishers, and the like. The present invention is described herein, however, in the context of a shoe polishing unit merely for the purposes of description and explanation of the invention, `and not as a limitation to the scope of they invention.

The present invention provides a unitary manually enlgageable polisher and polish receptacle, -including a receptacle cover or closure member wherein the polish receptacle and its cover are disposed within the body of the polisher. This results in an aesthetically .pleasing appearance in an article which may be manually grasped without regard to the position of the hand upon the handle.

The receptacle cover protrudes beyond the overall outline of thehandle only to the extent of providing means for engaging the cover. The present invention also provides an improvedV polish applicator or dauber which prevents .evaporation of moisture from the polish and which maintains itself saturated with polish for convenient use. The

linvention furtherkprovides an improved means for mounting a polyurethane foam buffer to a cast or molded plastic .body of the article.

Generally speaking the present inventionl provides a upper andlower surfaces. An upwardly open recess is formed in the upper surface of the handle and extends from side to side and to one end of thehandle. The recesshas yan end Wall which opens to the one end. of the handle and a base surface which extends from side to side of the handle `and from the wall to the one end of the handle. An upwardly open cylindrical cavity is formed end wall of the recess is curved concentric to the axis of the cavity. A receptacle of polish is disposed in the cavity.

`.The polisher also includes a cavity closure member disposed in the recess. Means operable upon angular motion between the closure member and the handle cooperate between the closure member and aangewhichextends peripherally of the Vcavity into the recess coaxiallyof the .cavity for releasably securing the closure member to the The alswel VPatented .lune 8, 1965 ice buff-ing means secured to the handle over substantially the Y entire areal extent of the handle lower surface.

The above mentioned and other features of the present invention are more fully set forth in the following detailed description and explanation of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. l is a'perspective View of a preferred embodiment of the unitary polisher and polish receptacle provided by the presentV invention; Y

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional elevational view taken along line II-II of FIG. l; Y l FIG. 3 is a further enlarged cross-sectionalized plan View taken along line III-III of FlG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view, with parts broken away, taken along line IV-IV of FIG. 2. y

Referring initially to FIG. l, an article of manufacture in the form of a unitary polisher and polish receptacle 10, capable of being manually grasped by a user of the article, lis illustrated. The article includes a handle or body meinber 11, a buffer or polishing element 12, a polish receptacle 13 (see FIG. 2), anda receptacle closure member or cover 14. The handle has spaced apart end surfaces 15 and 16, .side surfaces 17 and 18, and upper and lower surfaces 19 and 2t), respectively, disposed at substantially rights angles to one another and dening a generally rectangular geometrical form as in the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings. The exterior surfaces of the handle, except for the lower surface, are illustrated as being slightly curved to provide an aesthetic appearance of the handle and to facilitate manual `grasping of the article for convenient use thereof. The

upper surface of the handle is stepped adjacent end 15 to provide a recess 21 for cover 14. The recess has an upwardly open planar base surface 22, preferably disposed parallel to lower surface 24B of the handle, and an end surface 23 disposed at substantially right angles to the lower surface of the handle vand opening toward end 15. As illustrated in FIG. 2, in a preferred form of the invention, surface 23 extends completely transversely of the handle and defines a portion of a circular cylinder concentric to a vertical axis 24 of receptacle 13.

The external handle conguration defined above and shown in the drawings is the configuration of a preferred A second preferred'ex- 1ternal handle configuration is shown in co-pending design patent application Serial Number D. 74,218 led March 29, 1963, by the inventors of the present invention and now issued as Design Patent 196,961.

Receptacle 13 is defined by a circularly cylindrical cav Y ,ity25 extending downwardly of the V'handle to a closed bottom end 26 and opening upwardly toward and through surface 22. The cavity axis is disposed perpendicularly to handle surfaces 20 and 22. A peripheral flange 26 is connected to the handle and extends upwardly from sur- V.face 22 concentric to axis 24 -a distance less than the depth of recess 21 from -t-he upper surface of the handle. curing or keying means 27 for polish or for a polish container are located -on the lower surface of the polish receptacle.v As illustrated in FIG. 3, the polish keying means preferably comprises a pair of crossed raised ribs 28; and Z9 intersecting at right angles at their respective midlengths and formed integral with the handle. These ribs cooperate with a similarly configured indentation in the lower surface of a plug, or container 48, of polish 47 inserted into the receptacle. By engagement of the polish securing means and the polish plug or container, the polish is secured from angular movement relative to the surfaces of the handle which define cavity 13.

A downwardly open recess 30 is provided over substantially the entire areal extent of handle lower surfaces 20. As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4, the downwardly open recess has its upper surface defined by handle lower surface 20 and is bounded by a peripheral rim connected to the handle along the intersections of the side and end surfaces of the handle with the lower surface. At selected locations along the periphery of the lower recess, respective ones of a plurality of lug-like lips 32 extend inwardly of the recess in spaced apart relation to the lower surface of the handle. As illustrated in FIG. 4, one lip is formed at each end of the recess and two lips extend inwardly from the opposite sides of the recess. An alternate form of lip configuration and orientation (not shown) may be a slot formed in the rim across each end of the recess and opening toward each other across recess 30. In this alternate form, lips are not required along the sides of the Irecess. The function of lips 32 will be more clearly described below.

It is preferred that the handle of article be molded or cast integrally from a plastic material, such as polystyrene plastic, so that the upwardly extending flange around polish receptacle 13, polish securing means 27, and rim 31 are all formed integrally with handle 11.

Closure or cover 14 for receptacle 13 preferably is cast or molded from the same material from which the handle of the article is fabricated. The closure has an upper surface 33, a lower surface 34, spaced apart end surfaces 35 and 36, and side surfaces 37 and 38. A downwardly open cylindrical recess 39 is formed in the lower surface of the closure and has a diameter corresponding generally to the diameter `of the outer surface of cylindrical flange 26 peripherally of cavity 25. The recess has a closed upper end surface 40 disposed substantially parallel to the lower surface of the cover. In the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the side surfaces, end surface 35, and the upper surface of the closure member are continuous with the adjacent surfaces of the handle when the cover is engaged is closure relation to polish receptacle 13. The cover is secured in such closure relation by means cooperating between the handle and the cover for releasably engaging the cover in closure relation to the receptacle. As illustrated in FIG. 2 these means are provided in the form of a helical thread 42 cast or molded into the outer surface of flange 26 and cooperating with a corresponding helically configured groove 43 in the vertical walls of cover recess 39. End surface 36 of the cover defines a portion of a right circular cylinder concentric to axis 24 of the receptacle which is also the axis of the cover recess. When the cover is secured to the handle in the closure relation illustrated in FIG. 2, surface 36 of the cover is spaced apart slightly from surface 23 of handle upper recess 21.

FIG. 1 shows in phantom lines the position of the cover when the cover has been rotated 90 relative to its position in which surfaces 36 and 22 are disposed opposite from one another. In this indexed condition, side surface 38 of the cover is spaced apart from surface 22 of the handle so that the fingers of a user of the article may be placed in contact with the side surfaces of the cover 'and so that the cover may be rotated about axis 24 with the fingers passing adjacent to surface 22 without requiring removal of such fingers from the cover. Preferably the cover is disengaged from the handle by rotation of the cover through an arc of 270 about axis 24.

A polish applicator or dauber 45, preferably fabricated from soft spongily resilient polyurethane foam, is secured to surface 40 of the receptacle cover and is disposed concentric to axis 24. The pad of sponge material extends downwardly into the receptacle to a lower end surface 46 which comprises a polish absorbing surface. The normal uncompressed distance of surface 46 from the cover is greater than the distance of the surface from the cover when the cover is engaged with the handle. This means that the pad is compressed between the cover and a quantity of polish 47 disposed in the receptacle when the cover is secured to the handle. This compressive engagement of the dauber pad with the polish prevents the evaporation of moisture and essential oils from the polish and also assures that the sponge or pad is maintained saturated with polish. Also, when the cover is angularly displaced from the handle, the pad picks up wax or polish for transfer to the surface to be polished. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, polish or wax may be contained in a receptacle or container 48 which is inserted into handle cavity 25. This container has a portion conforming to the configuration of polish key means 27 (see FIG. 3).

A quantity of buffer or polishing material 12 is secured to the handle by improved means provided by the present invention. In a preferred form of this invention, the buffmg medium is comprised of a quantity of soft spongily resilient polyurethane foam 50 having a corrugated under surface 51. Preferably the polyurethane foam of the buffer and dauber has a density of from 2 to 4 lbs. per cubic foot; such Ia polyurethane foam is resilient and has many of the characteristics of latex foam as to resilience. A stiff but locally resilient flat sheet 53 of buffer backing material is secured to the upper planar surface of the buffer by a suitable bonding agent such as a latex base cement. Normally the backing is bonded to large sheets of the polyurethane foam and then pieces of foam, with the backing attached, are stamped in the desired shape from the sheet. The backing when so stamped has peripheral configuration conforming substantially to the periphery of downwardly open recess 30 as dened by the V'inner surfaces of rim 31. For successful practice of this invention the dimensions `of the peripheral outline of the backing material are slightly less than the dimensions of recess 30 so that the edges of the backing are juxtaposed closely adjacent to the walls of the recess when the backing is inserted into the recess. The backing is secured in the recess by pushing the sheet of backing material past lips 32 so that the lips extend over the backing material as shown in FIG. 2. Where the function of the lips is provided by slots in the ends of the recess the transverse dimension of the backing material is slightly greater than the width of the recess so that the backing material frictionally engages the inner surfaces of rim 31, but is mechanically maintained within the recess by engagement within the slots.

It `is preferred that the backing for the block of buffer foam material be fabricated from a sheet of cardboard having a .thickness from 50 to 100 thousandths of an inch. Such material is locally deformable so that the sheet may be moved past lips 32 of the rim defining the downwardly open recess of the handle, but still maintains a stiffness desirable 'for the present invention. By bonding the cardboard to .the sponge material prior to the operation of cutting the sponge material to the shapes and sizes desired, it has been found that stamping procedures may be usedY rather than cut-ting or sawing processes required with sponge material per se.

In the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described above, the .buffer or polishing material is comprised of a block of polyurethane foam. It is within the scope of this invention, however, that a polishing material such as a quantity of sheep skin or a bristled brush may be provided.

While the invention has been described above in conjunction with specific apparatus, this has been by way of example only and is not to be considered as limiting the scope of this invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A unitary polisher and polish container comprising, in combination, .an elongated substantially rectangular handle having spaced apart ends, sides and upper and lower surfaces, ,an upwardly open recess for-med in the upper surface of the handl-e extending from side to side of the handle and lopening to one end of the handle, the recess having an end wall extending from side yto side of the handle and opening to the handle one end and a base surface which extends from side to side of the handle and from the recess end wall to the handle one end, au upwardly open cylindrical cavity formed in the handle and opening to the recess base surface, the end Wall of the recess being curved concentric t-o lthe axis of the cavity, a flange periphenally of the cavity extending from the recess base surface cci-axially of the cavity, a polish containing receptacle disposed in Ithe cavity, a cavity closure member engageable in the recess, means cooperating be* ltween the closure member and the peripheral flange operable upon angular motion between the closure member and the flange for releasably securing the closure member to the handle in closure relation to the cavity, the closure member having a curved end surface disposed opposite the recess end wall when the closure member is in closure relation to the cavity, the closure member having an opposite end, sides, and an upper surface which are substantially continuous with the handle one end, sides, and upper surface, respectively, when the closure member is in closure relation to the cavity, polish applicator means secured to the closure member and extending into the cavity into contact with polish in the receptacle when the closure member is secured in closure relation to the cavity, and polish buihng means secured to the handle over substantially the entire areal extent of the handle lower surface.

2. A unitary polisher and polish container comprising, in combination, an elongated substantially rectangular handle having spaced apart ends, sides and upper and lower surfaces, an upwardly open recess formed in the upper surface of the handle extending from side to side of the handle and opening to one end of the handle, the recess' having an end wall extending from side to side of the handle and opening to the handle one end and a base surface which extends from side to side of the handle and from the recess end wall to the handle one end, an upwardly open cylindrical cavity formed in the handle and opening to the recess base surface, the end wall of the recess being curved concentric to the axis of the cavity, a iange peripherally of the cavity extending from the recess base surface coaxially of the cavity, a polish containing receptacle disposed in the cavity, a cavity'closure member engageable in the recess, means cooperating between the closure member and the peripheral ilange operable upon angular motion between the closure member and the ange for releasably securing the closure member to the handle in closure relation to the cavity, the closure member having a curved end surface disposed opposite the recess end wall when the closure member is in closure relation to the cavity, the closure member having an opposite end, sides, and an upper surface which are substantially continuous with the handle one end, sides, and upper surface, respectively, when the closure member is in closure relation to the cavity, the distance from the axis of the cavity to the recess end wall being greater than the distance from the axis to the sides of the closure member adjacent the cavity so that a user of the polisher and polish container may place his fingers in contact with the closure member side walls and may index the closure member angularly of the handle without interference by the recess end wall, polish applicator means secured to the closure member and extending into the cavity into contact with polish in the receptacle when the closure member is secured in closure relation to the cavity, and polish bufling means secured to substantially the entire areal extent of the handle lower surface.

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner. 

1. A UNITARY POLISHER AND POLISH CONTAINER COMPRISING. IN COMBINATION, AN ELONGATED SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR HANDLE HAVING SPEED APART ENDS, SIDES AND UPPER AND LOWER SURFACES, AN UPWARDLY OPEN RECESS FORMED IN THE UPPER SURFACE OF THE HANDLE EXTENDING FROM SIDE TO SIDE OF THE HANDLE AND OPENING TO ONE END OF THE HANDLE, THE RECESS HAVING AN END WALL EXTENDING FROM SIDE TO SIDE OF THE HANDLE AND OPENING TO THE HANDLE ONE END AND A BASE SURFACE WHICH EXTENDS FROM SIDE TO SIDE OF THE HANDLE AND FROM THE RECESS END WALL TO THE HANDLE ONE END, AN UPWARDLY OPEN CYLINDRICAL CAVITY FORMED IN THE HANDLE AND OPENING TO THE RECESS BASE SURFACE, THE END WALL OF THE RECESS BEING CURVED CONCENTRIC TO THE AXIS OF THE CAVITY, A FLANGE PERIPHERALLY OF THE CAVITY EXTENDING FROM THE RECESS BASE SURFACE COAXIALLY OF THE CAVITY, A POLISH CONTAINING RECEPTACLE DISPOSED IN THE CAVITY, A CAVITY CLOSURE MEMBER ENGAGEABLE IN THE RECESS, MEANS COOPERATING BETWEEN THE CLOSURE MEMBER AND THE PERIPHERAL FLANGE OPERABLE UPON ANGULAR MOTION BETWEEN THE CLOSURE MEMBER AND THE FLANGE FOR RELEASABLY SECURING THE CLOSURE MEMBER TO THE HANDLE IN CLOSURE RELATION TO THE CAVITY, THE CLOSURE MEMBER HAVING A CURVED END SURFACE DISPOSED OPPOSITE THE RECESS END WALL WHEN THE CLOSURE MEMBER IS IN CLOSURE RELATION TO THE CAVITY, THE CLOSURE MEMBER HAVING AN OPPOSITE END, SIDES, AND AN UPPER SURFACE WHICH ARE SUBSTANTIALLY CONTINUOUS WITH THE HANDLE ONE END, SIDES, AND UPPER SURFACE, RESPECTIVELY, WHEN THE CLOSURE MEMBER IS IN CLOSURE RELATION TO THE CAVITY, POLISH APPLICATOR MEANS SECURED TO THE CLOSURE MEMBER AND EXTENDING INTO THE CAVITY INTO CONTACT WITH POLISH IN THE RECEPTACLE WHEN THE CLOSURE MEMBER IS SECURED IN CLOSURE RELATION TO THE CAVITY, AND POLISH BUFFING MEANS SECURED TO THE HANDLE OVER SUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE AREAL EXTENT OF THE HANDLE LOWER SURFACE. 